Cuomo to Call for an AirTrain to LaGuardia

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has unveiled his plans to modernize New York's infrastructure and transportation system.

In a speech Tuesday before the business group Association for a Better New York in Manhattan, Cuomo offered a preview of his annual State of the State address scheduled for Wednesday.

The biggest proposal was a rail link to LaGuardia Airport in Queens.

"You can't get to LaGuardia by train today, and that really is inexcusable," he said. "And that's something we're going to change over the next several years."

Cuomo proposed building an AirTrain link like the one that serves John F. Kennedy Airport.

The new 1.5-mile rail line would run along Grand Central Parkway, and connect the airport to the current Willets Point station that serves Long Island Rail Road commuters and the No. 7 subway line.

He says it would cost $450 million, and would be constructed by the MTA and the Port Authority. (Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani had pushed for a link to LaGuardia by extending the N Train.)

Cuomo is also proposing a $1 billion expansion of the broadband grid, which he called “the new infrastructure,” to give more New Yorkers access to high-speed internet.

And he echoed calls in the MTA's Capital Plan for new subway cars, buses and Metro North stations, as well as completion of the Second Avenue Subway. He also pledged to complete construction of the new Tappan Zee Bridge without increasing tolls on the New York Thruway.

The governor did not offer many details about how he expected to pay for these things, saying the funds will come from the $5 billion in settlements with banks, as well as through the MTA and Port Authority budgets. Some fiscal watchdogs said that money would not be enough.

"There are a lot of projects to get people excited about, but there's still no way to pay for those projects," said Nicole Gelinas of the Manhattan Institute. For example, the MTA says it needs $15 billion more to accomplish the goals laid out in its five-year plan. So far, the governor has pledged $750 million.

Still, transportation advocates praised the scope of the plans. "It's great that the governor is focusing on transportation and recognizing the importance of investing in New York state's infrastructure," said Wendy Pollack, a spokesperson for the Regional Plan Association.

With reports from the Associated Press.